The swan song of Mosaic Stadium

Not much of a looker, Mosaic Stadium has a storied history./Daniel Paquet

It might not be pretty, but it’s full of memories

Well, we’re down to the end of the 2014 CFL season. That means one less year the Rider faithful have to bask in the glory of Mosaic Stadium.

Now, I know Mosaic Stadium isn’t exactly the flashiest stadium in the league, but it’s going to be sad to see it go. As a lifetime Rider fan, Mosaic Stadium was where I fell in love with the Riders.

            It feels like every Rider fan has that special Rider story, whether it’s a game, meeting a player, or whatever. Everyone has something that relates them to this team.

            Personally, it was my first game that was my Rider moment. I didn’t go to a game until I was 12 years old when the Riders played the Eskimos in one of the most entertaining and memorable regular season games in Rider history. At the beginning of the game, the weather was sunny and clear, and it was supposed to stay that way until the end of the game.

            Weird shit tends to happen at Mosaic Stadium.

            By the middle of the third quarter, what seemed like a freakin’ typhoon hit Taylor Field – the timeless old name of Mosaic Stadium. No one really knew what the hell was going on, so they decided to put the game on hold. As the teams ran off the field, a crack of thunder rumbled the stadium and the lights in the stadium and surrounding areas went out. With the power out, the end of the game was definitely in question.

            After running back to the fan bus, my Dad and myself were getting ready to head back home if the game was, indeed, cancelled.

            We sat in the bus and after talking to a few people. The staff of Taylor Field had even started a rumour that the game was moved to a later date as we sat in the bus listening to 620 CKRM update us as information poured in. Finally, after about an hour and a half, the game was set to start again. More than three-quarters of the stadium had gone home and the remaining fans were able to watch the end of the game honestly wherever you wanted to sit.

            I went down to the railing in section six, right behind the Riders bench. That game changed my outlook on CFL football forever and made going to Mosaic Stadium special to this day.

            The Riders ended up winning that game in a huge comeback after the lights came back on. With Kerry Joseph leading them to victory on that August night, I fell in love with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

            As we go into the final two seasons at iconic Mosaic Stadium, or Taylor Field if you prefer, please go watch as much football there as you can. Whether that is a Rider game, a Rams game, or any kind of football game at Mosaic Stadium.

            Trust me, we’re going to miss it when it’s gone.